Filial Piety vs Honour

Ps Ivan gave an excellent teaching concerning the difference between “Filial piety” towards our ancestors and parents and “Honouring” them.

Why didn’t God tell His people to have Filial Piety towards their ancestors?

Why did God insist that His people must Honour their parents, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament?

Do you know that the 5th Commandment in the “Ten Commandments” given to Moses is the only commandment listed in its entirety for those under the Old Covenant (or Testament) as well as under the New Covenant (or Testament).

This 5th Commandment is to “Honour your father and mother”.

Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deu 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Mat 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Mat 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Ivan went into the Chinese character of the root word for “filial piety” as “to obey the parent in everything!” even though the desire of the parent may be bad or wrong! You wouldn’t want to do that if your parent is morally wrong and his actions would be detrimental to you.

On the other hand, the Chinese character of the root word for “honour” is to “show utmost respect and to esteem them highly”

This is what we want to show to our parents and ancestors – to esteem them with great respect when they are alive and to remember and speak of their good deeds when they have died. This is true honour.

Let’s forsake ancestor worship and truly honour them as instructed by the Word.

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